


happy birthday, by the way

by hey_adora



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/F, Sea Hawk is a nickname from school, This is an AU, adora and catra are twenty four, and they’re living together, birthday fic, catra ain’t a cat, catra is part of the best friends squad, no princesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 17:53:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17472206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hey_adora/pseuds/hey_adora
Summary: Adora didn’t think too much about birthdays, much less her own.Catra didn’t really think too much about birthdays either, except Adora’s. She lived for Adora and her birthdays.And this one had to be the best one yet.(AU)





	happy birthday, by the way

 

Adora poured her coffee into her mug, and sighed contently as she heard her phone consistently buzzing with birthday texts. Birthday presents were scattered around her house. Even her shirt had said ‘it’s my birthday’ on it, something Glimmer had gotten for her a few birthdays back. Adora grinned to herself, taking a sip of her coffee, before setting it aside on the coffee table and laid on the couch to pull her girlfriend into a spoon hug.

 

“Happy birthday, beautiful.”

Adora smiled as Catra nuzzled her face into her neck, a smirk forming on Catra’s face at smelling Adora’s scent.

“You remembered.” Adora softly muttered.

“And I didn’t remember because I like you.” Catra tapped Adora’s nose with her finger, chuckling.

Adora felt her muscles relaxing as she listened to Catra’s calm humming, until suddenly Catra pounced onto Adora, catching her full attention.

“Ha! You really think I’m gonna let you spend yourbirthday like any other day? Not one birthday have I done that. This year we’re spending the whole day doing stuff with our friends and Glimmer.” Adora rolled her eyes when Catra mentioned Glimmer as if they weren’t her friend. Although they are best friends, the group could agree Catra and Glimmer didn’t get along as well as they did with others.

“Okay, first off, stop acting like Glimmer isn’t our friend. Second, whatever we’re doing, you two better not be arguing!”

Adora jokingly yelled the last part as Catra disappeared down the hall, and for a few minutes, Adora wondered what Catra was doing, until Catra reappeared in a suit.

“Wow, did my girlfriend decide to celebrate my birthday with me dressed up in my biggest weakness?” Adora laughed at her own joke, Catra just groaned teasingly.

“Get dressed, we’re going to laser tag.”

* * *

 

Had it not been for Bow taking her to laser tag as Sea Hawk fell ill that day, Adora would not have screamed when Catra announced they were going to laser tag. Catra knew that the game was as much as a weakness for Adora as Catra in a suit is. The whole car drive there, Adora bounced in her seat, giddy with excitement that she’d get to play her favourite game with her two closest friends and her girlfriend.

The second Catra parked, Adora ran out the car and into the venue, shouting at Catra to  _‘hurry up, I can smell your upcoming defeat and I can’t wait much longer’,_ and it would’ve embarrassed Catra, had it not been that she signed up for this after some annoying amount of time to convince Glimmer to do this with her (and with the help of Bow, as he loved laser tag almost as much as Adora,  _almost_ ).

Glimmer and Bow showed up a few minutes afterwards and were greeted with a frustrated Adora that it took them ‘eternity’ to show up, but they all settled down afterwards when Bow insisted they settle this argument over a game.

The rules to the game were simple, under no circumstances does one attack a member of the Best Friend Squad unless all other enemies were dealt with. Should a member of the squad lose to an unknown force, said force would live a traumatizing experience. And a personal rule between Glimmer, Bow and Catra,  _Adora cannot lose_. Glimmer may have had to learn that the hard way.

”Adora means business, doesn’t she?” Entrapta, Catra’s close friend and an employee of the venue, whispered to Catra as she set up the options for their game.

”What do you mean?”

”Adora’s wearing mostly black. Black jacket, gray shirt, black jeans, black shoes! She wears red, blue, sometimes white, but hardly black. On the occasions she does wear black, I get reports from parents saying a twenty-year old striked all of their kids and made the game frustrating.”

Catra chuckled. “That’s Adora all right.”

”Well, your game is set! You’ll play about seven minutes from now.”

Catra thanked Entrapta before sitting with her friends and making conversation until the top screen listed the scores of the last game and Entrapta gave them the thumbs-up that it was their turn to play.

_Game time_.

* * *

 

”This, is exactly why—” Glimmer took in a deep-breath, “—I don’t play laser tag with Adora anymore.”

Bow giggled at Glimmer as the four exited the venue, waving Entrapta goodbye.

”If it wasn’t for the timer, Bow might’ve just won that game.” Catra wrapped her arm around Adora as she made her own comment.

”How long were we even in there?” Glimmer asked, slurping on her slushie.

”Two hours.” Adora replied.

”And that was allowed despite the fact we paid for a thirty minute game... how?” Bow questioned.

”Let’s be real, that was the most intense game we’ve ever played together, and we were not going to be able to finish that in half an hour. Entrapta said it even made an audience.” Catra snickered.

”Still, I don’t think that’s legal.” Bow replied light-hearted.

The four shared some happy laughs until Catra and Adora made it to their car.

”Well, we’re on our way to our next spot. We’ll see you later.” Catra and Adora waved to Glimmer and Bow who waved back and then left down the street.

”Later, huh?” Adora asked when the two left.

”You’ll know when you know.” Catra replied.

”So, where to next?”

”There’s a new restaurant in town that’s rumored to have the best fish. Down to try?” Catra asked, hopping into the driver’s seat.

”Sounds fun.”

* * *

 

For a new restaurant, Adora thought the place was fancy and beyond affordable. How Catra bought a reservation for the two was beyond Adora. A waitress brought the two to their table and said they’d return in a few moments. The place was filled with people who looked like they had tons of money to spend, some elderly couples, some a family, and a few young adults, like Catra and Adora.

Adora opened her mouth to ask how Catra managed to get them a table but she was immediately shushed.

“I planned this whole thing out. You’ll get your answers if you let everything flow.” Catra knew Adora would ask and she prepared ahead like the woman that she is.

And just like she said, Adora got her answer.

Sea Hawk, the nickname he gave himself in high school, appeared to their table delighted to see the two.

”Sea Hawk?! You work here?” Adora straightened to get a good look at his face.

”That I do! I got hired a month ago, precisely. Lovely lady Catra told me about your birthday and I was dying to get her to take you here. ‘Half the price because you know I love Adora!’ I told her. And before you ask, yes, we do make the best fish and hors d'oeuvres in Bright Moon!” Sea Hawk said confidently.

”Now, what can I get you two?”

-

 

Adora hoped that her order wouldn’t go over the tab, she knew Catra would spoil her endlessly the whole day, but she didn’t want her girlfriend to suffer the next day with her wallet good as empty.

Sea Hawk brought the two their food and sat with them for a few moments to let Adora taste the pork she ordered. She cut a small piece and placed it in her mouth before gasping in surprise.

”Holy horses, this is delicious!”

”I mean, who thought our pork being good was a rumor again?” Sea Hawk joked.

“Wow, this is amazing. Who made this?” Catra lightly squealed at the taste of her fish.

”A friend of mine named Rogelio. He’s a real chef, let me tell you!”

”Hey! Hawk! Get back to work!” Someone from the kitchen yelled out to him, and he saluted in response.

”Enjoy your meals, ladies. I’ll see you again eventually.”

The man left in a hurry and Adora’s hands hit the table.

”What are you planning, Catra?” 

“We’re in a resturant. Keep it down, young lady!” Catra teased.

”You’re not telling me something, Catra! What is it?” 

“I said, if you let this flow, you’ll know eventually. Patience, my love. Patience.”

The rest of the dinner, Catra would make comments about how delicious the food tasted and tease Adora for being unaware of what was to come.

Adora was going to figure out what her clever little girlfriend was up to, somehow.

* * *

 Afterwards, Catra wanted to end Adora’s birthday at the edge of a pier which would stretch into a lake, one of Adora’s favourite locations. The two talked about old memories or people that they knew and would giggle at certain things.

Catra would stare at Adora’s bright blue eyes and her sudden movements when she thought of something funny or something that made her feel good.

So many years ago did she first encounter Adora’s warm smile or determination to suceed, and it hasn’t burned out in the slightest.

”I can’t believe I’ve known you for so long now.” Catra smiled, her glass of wine twirling in her fingers.

”How long has it been? 18 years?”

”About to be 19. And I only asked you out five years ago.” Catra replied.

”Wow. 19 years. Time flys.” Adora set her glass aside and pecked Catra on the cheek.

”Thank you, Catra. This birthday was amazing. Laser tag, the dinner, you really didn’t have to do that. I would’ve been happy just hanging out with you.”

”Adora. You are so dumb to think I’d ever let you spend a birthday like a regular day. Name a birthday I let it be boring. Even when we were just orphans I’d sneak into the kitchen and make, what I personally believe to be, the best cake ever.”

”It was pretty good.” Adora giggled.

Adora’s feet pulled up from the water and she put on her leather jacket.

”It’s getting kinda cold. Should we head back home?”

”You’re right. It’s starting to get a bit chilly. I should probably get this done first.”

Adora stood up and then tilted her head.

”Do what?”

Catra stood up alongside her and held Adora’s hand.

”19 years ago, I met you. 5 years ago, you became my girlfriend. 2 years ago, we bought a house that belongs to both of us and only us. And now..”

Adora nearly fell apart as Catra dropped on one knee and pulled a box out of her pocket.

”I want to spend even more years being your wife.” 

Adora stood there as she couldn’t help but let happy tears form and laughed when a sign popped out the bush saying “You can do this, Adora!” as Bow popped out with it. Eventually, Glimmer, Entrapta, Sea Hawk, and even Mermista, Scorpia and Perfuma peeked through gaps in the bush.

Catra smirked at Adora.

”So, Adora whatever-your-last-name-is, although it really won’t matter because now it’s going to be mine, do you want to wear a ring that cost me about $2000 for all of your life?”

Adora could feel her eyes watering but she didn’t try to wipe them away. She giggled when everyone gave her positive nods or thumbs-ups.

”And before you ask. No, this is not because I like you.” Catra made the joke again.

Adora fell into Catra’s arms, eyes closed, sniffling and smiling.

”Yes.” She whispered, but everyone was aware of her answer.

Glimmer and Bow high-fived one another, Sea Hawk broke out a champagne bottle with Mermista, and Entrapta, Perfuma, and Scorpia were cheering for the two.

”I love you, Catra.” Adora whispered.

”Yeah, I love you too.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> UGH I HOPE THIS DOESNT FEEL RUSHED  
> I only learned about her birthday two weeks ago and I knew I had to write something up for our warrior queen (move aside Betty cooper)  
> feel free to correct my work as it helps me out!


End file.
